


All's well that ends well

by idioticfangirl



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Drunkenness, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gay Bar, M/M, Non-Consensual Kissing, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 15:12:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5460968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idioticfangirl/pseuds/idioticfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hank and Nick greatly misunderstand the meaning of a gay bar, but they have a suspect to catch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All's well that ends well

"The suspect is getting out of the car on 29th Street, heading straight for 'The Jungle'," Nick muttered into his phone as he and Hank also got out of their inconspicuous vehicle which had been tailing the might-be murderer for quite some time. They stared in muted horror at the flashing lights and scenes of public affection which were streaming through the slatted windows of the gay bar that the Lowen had just entered, and which they would now attempt to traverse.

"There is no jungle in Portland, Nick." Wu responded from where he was keeping tabs on them at the station, warm and safe and not about to enter a place known for most of its customers being high, drunk or both. Sometimes Nick pitied Wu, missing out on the action and drama and adrenaline that was one of the few highs of being a cop, particularly a homicide one. It was times like these, however, that he envied the Sergeant.

"You know what he means," grumbled Hank, sauntering up to where the burly bouncer was standing outside. Before they could even open their mouths, however, he was shaking his head and shooing them away.

"No," was all that he said, before he returned to staring them down with a defiantly closed mouth.

"But he just went in like two minutes ago," Hank argued, gesturing for Nick to keep his badge in his pocket. Something told him that this particular guy wouldn't care much about the police. 

"Regulars get special treatment," grunted the baboon. Hank seemed ready to continue, but Nick understood a lost cause when he saw one. After all, he had watched his relationship with Juliette tumble and fall.

"Come on," he muttered, wrapping an hand round Hank's arm and tugging gently, "let's just go back." Hank's anger subsided at the touch and he allowed himself to be led into the car, where Nick immediately started it up and made for the precinct, aiming to write a full report of the night before he went back to an uncomfortable sofa and the stale air that had taken residence in the house since he and Juliette had realised that, somehow, they weren't going to work anymore.

"The suspect is in 'The Jungle', however we were unable to procure entry. He has been labelled as a regular by the bouncer, so it's likely that he will be there tomorrow."

"Why couldn't you get in?" The Captain came over the line, voice full of worry that their one lead on this case, a kidnapping and murder of three students which had the media in a frenzy, may be slipping away.

Wu chipped in lightly, suggesting, "Maybe they weren't gay enough?" Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw Hank spin to look at him, and he knew what that look meant.

"Tomorrow, we're getting in," Hank said determinedly, and Nick whispered a silent goodbye to his sanity. He was so preoccupied with keeping his mind on the road and not having to pretend to do what he'd wanted to do for a long time, since before Juliette left him, that he missed Wu's tinny voice coming through the speaker.

"They were probably just full."

 

The next day saw them standing, once more, outside the bar. There were some subtle and some not-so subtle differences this time around. On the one hand, both officers had gone for something more casual to wear. On the other, as soon as they were able to be seen by the bouncer, who looked exactly the same as the day before, they went from walking stiffly side by side to all over each other, Nick's arm sliding easily around Hank's waist ,while Hank rested his on Nick's shoulders. 

Nick barely spared a glance at the bouncer, his entire attention on staring at Hank with what he hoped was a love-sick expression on his face. Internally, he was chanting you're being too obvious you're finding it too easy to act in love with him, but he schooled his face to show none of his inner trepidation. The bouncer barely seemed to notice that Hank's hand was in Nick's back pocket as he waved a hand for them to enter.

Hank leaned in close, so that his mouth was right next to Nick's ear, and whispered, "Are you okay? It's just for the mission. Think of those poor girls." Nick shuddered slightly, more at Hank's proximity than the reminder of the sick things that had been done by the guy they were after, and nodded.

"Just for the mission," he repeated, forcing his heart rate to slow and his brain to stop thinking about what if it wasn't, what if this was true. It couldn't be.

 

Once in the club, they began their search for the culprit. It was difficult, seeing as Hank refused to separate with Nick even though they were now in the club. His excuses were sound, 'The guy could be dangerous', and, 'We might get chucked out', but Nick was still more than happy to keep up the pretence for a little while longer, to leave his hand in Hank's and feel loved again.

They stumbled onto the dance floor, a mass of gyrating bodies and less than PG scenes, with more tongue showing than Nick had ever wanted to see, and tried to slide through the gaps to get a better view of the entire room. Somewhere along the way, a group of dancers cut Nick off from Hank, and he was left whirling around to get his bearings, questioning how in the hell he could get out of there. Sometimes he thought he caught a glimpse of Hank through the crowd, but it was always his imagination taunting him.

Suddenly, a hand on the small of his back brought him back to the present. He spun, contemplating lashing out but figuring that it could only be Hank finding him again. 

The guy staring back at him was definitely not Hank. For one thing, his hair was longer, falling down onto his forehead in a mass of black curls. For another, his cheekbones were so well defined that they could cut through glass, and his eyelashes were long and almost feminine. Basically, Nick decided, he was nowhere near as good looking as Hank.

Another major difference between whoever-this-was and Hank was that the guy was plastered. He was absolutely smashed. So when he leered up at Nick and slurred, "Hullo darling," Nick felt nothing more than faintly disgusted, not the usual discomfort one feels from being hit on by a stranger.

"Hi," Nick barely smiled, still trying to find a way out of this situation before it led somewhere he didn't want it to.

"You're gorgeous," the guy smirked, reaching up to stroke Nick's face. Nick, who was stuck between two particularly excited dancers, was unable to do anything about it without causing a massive scene, so he gritted his teeth and continued his search for Hank. "I'm gonna buy you a drink," he was still going, "or we could skip straight to the hotel room. Let's have some fun."

"Um, no, thanks. I've gotta -" whatever Nick had to do was swallowed by the guys mouth, too wet and tasting of cheap lager, on his. His struggles to free his lips seemed to go unnoticed by his accoster, who snaked his tongue into his mouth while it was still half-open in surprise.

"Hey!" Never had Nick been so glad to hear Hank, as his kisser was gripped by the shoulders and ripped away, leaving Nick free to gasp for air that wasn't hot and straight from a stranger's mouth. He reeled back slightly, kept up only by Hank slipped an arm round him and leaning protectively towards him, shielding him from the drunk man in front of them.

"Why did you kiss him?" Hank demanded, all anger and aggression.

"He wanted me to."

"Did you want him to?" And it was surprising to Nick, still slightly in shock, that Hank's voice sounded so gentle just seconds after bellowing at the stranger. He shook his head, unable to form words.

"I am a police officer," Hank began, and now instead of hot anger it was cold, and crisp, and businesslike. Nick almost pitied the guy, "as is he, and I'm arresting you for assault of a police officer, as well as sexual assault."

"Hank," Nick whispered, shaking his head some more, "it's not worth it. He's drunk, and we need to catch our killer."

The man, catching on to the moment of weakness Hank was displaying at Nick's plea, jumped at his chance. "I didn't know you two were together, or I never would have done it," he apologised, somewhat half-heartedly, "honestly, I wasn't even sure if he was gay, sometimes you get the straight ones just here for a drink, or -"

"You kiss - wait, you don't have to be gay to get in here?" Momentarily surprised by the new information, Hank latched onto it.

"Um...no? I mean, it helps, but there isn't like a gay test or anything, you just go in. The only time you can't is if it's full, honestly."

"That's," Nick and Hank made eye contact and held it for a second, no longer. "That's news to us." 

"Let him go," Nick said, straightening slightly and brushing himself off, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Hank did release him, but he bent down a little to look Nick in the eye, "We can go, the Lowen will be here again another day."

"Let's just get it over and done with," Nick pushed off to look for his suspect, Hank in hot pursuit.

 

Whether it was just that the previous man had put the two men more on edge, or that he had opened the floodgates for more to return, Nick wasn't certain. But now wherever he looked he could see the appraising glances sent towards him and Hank by other men, even those standing around with jealous looking girl or boyfriends. He unconsciously leaned further towards Hank, seeking comfort in the taller man's presence, but no-one seemed to get the message that he wanted to be left alone.

By the agitated way that he was swinging his head from side to side, glaring at everyone who even came close to making eye contact, Nick could see that Hank had noticed the unwanted attention. More people came up to them, less forward than the first guy, offering drinks or sex or money or some combination of the three. It was making it difficult to search for the suspect, and any chance of sneaking up on him had to be gone by now.

Those were the reasons that Nick cited to himself when he suddenly turned and kissed Hank. After all, he could hardly admit that after so many years he had finally given in to temptation.

They had both signed up for it, he told himself sternly. You can't pretend to be dating without kissing. Hank wouldn't mind, Hank would -

"What was that for?" Hank asked, breaking the kiss only after a few seconds.

Nick blushed, clearing his throat a few times and trying to pretend that he hadn't enjoyed that far too much. "To convince them that we're dating?" His voice sounded higher than usual, even to his own ears.

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Hank returned to searching for the Lowen.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that," Nick internally cursed his stupid actions.

"No it's - I didn't mind." Hank seemed to be fighting his own instincts, before leaning in to kiss Nick again. This one was shorter, and sweet, just a quick peck that felt almost realistic.

"What was that for?" Nick wondered aloud.

Hank shrugged, smirking. "Felt like it," he answered cockily, "y'know, since we're dating."

Nick felt a well of relief bubbling up inside of him, along with a sense of euphoria that he hadn't felt in a long time, not even with Juliette, and the look on Hank's face told a similar story.

If you asked them later, Nick would say that Hank had started it, and Hank would say the opposite. But however it came about, whoever began it, the only fact that mattered was that the two of them were there, in the middle of a shabby, shady gay bar, kissing like there was no tomorrow. The only thing that mattered was that Hank wanted Nick too, and the unrequited love wasn't quite so unrequited, and that maybe it would all be okay.

The atmosphere was broken by the arrival of Sergeant Wu, striding through the door with the suspect in handcuffs.

"I should take your jobs, seeing as I've caught - oh my god guys my eyes! I'm glad that you've clearly got over yourselves, but," he made a fake puking noise and passed the Lowen over to Nick.

"You can deal with the paperwork," he announced, almost getting back to the door before turning and shouting out as a parting remark, "I will not third wheel at work!"

"Oh, he will," Hank muttered, and Nick could only agree.


End file.
